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skaldic

Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages

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Beowulf ch. XVIIII

Beowulf 20x — ed. Tarrin Wills

Not published: do not cite (Beowulf ch. XVIIII)

AnonymousBeowulf
19xXVIIII21x

text and translation

The new edition is either unpublished or unavailable. The following is taken from an old edition (Skj where relevant):

Sigon þa to slæpe. | Sum sare angeald
æfenræste, | swa him ful oft gelamp,
siþðan goldsele | Grendel warode,
unriht æfnde, | oþþæt ende becwom,
swylt æfter synnum. | þæt gesyne wearþ,
widcuþ werum, | þætte wrecend þa gyt
lifde æfter laþum, | lange þrage,
æfter guðceare. | Grendles modor,
ides, aglæcwif, | yrmþe gemunde,
se þe wæteregesan | wunian scolde,
cealde streamas, | siþðan Cain wearð
to ecgbanan | angan breþer,
fæderenmæge; | he þa fag gewat,
morþre gemearcod, | mandream fleon,
westen warode. | þanon woc fela
geosceaftgasta; | wæs þæra Grendel sum,
heorowearh hetelic, | se æt Heorote fand
wæccendne wer | wiges bidan.
þær him aglæca | ætgræpe wearð;
hwæþre he gemunde | mægenes strenge,
gimfæste gife | ðe him god sealde,
ond him to anwaldan | are gelyfde,
frofre ond fultum; | ðy he þone feond ofercwom,
gehnægde helle gast. | þa he hean gewat,
dreame bedæled, | deaþwic seon,
mancynnes feond, | ond his modor þa gyt,
gifre ond galgmod, | gegan wolde
sorhfulne sið, | sunu deað wrecan.
Com þa to Heorote, | ðær Hringdene
geond þæt sæld swæfun. | þa ðær sona wearð
edhwyrft eorlum, | siþðan inne fealh
Grendles modor. | Wæs se gryre læssa
efne swa micle | swa bið mægþa cræft,
wiggryre wifes, | be wæpnedmen,
þonne heoru bunden, | hamere geþuren,
sweord swate fah | swin ofer helme
ecgum dyhttig | andweard scireð.
þa wæs on healle | heardecg togen
sweord ofer setlum, | sidrand manig
hafen handa fæst; | helm ne gemunde,
byrnan side, | þa hine se broga angeat.
Heo wæs on ofste, | wolde ut þanon,
feore beorgan, | þa heo onfunden wæs.
Hraðe heo æþelinga | anne hæfde
fæste befangen, | þa heo to fenne gang.
Se wæs Hroþgare | hæleþa leofost
on gesiðes had | be sæm tweonum,
rice randwiga, | þone ðe heo on ræste abreat,
blædfæstne beorn. | Næs Beowulf ðær,
ac wæs oþer in | ær geteohhod
æfter maþðumgife | mærum Geate.
Hream wearð in Heorote; | heo under heolfre genam
cuþe folme; | cearu wæs geniwod,
geworden in wicun. | Ne wæs þæt gewrixle til,
þæt hie on ba healfa | bicgan scoldon
freonda feorum. | þa wæs frod cyning,
har hilderinc, | on hreon mode,
syðþan he aldorþegn | unlyfigendne,
þone deorestan | deadne wisse.
Hraþe wæs to bure | Beowulf fetod,
sigoreadig secg. | Samod ærdæge
eode eorla sum, | æþele cempa
self mid gesiðum | þær se snotera bad,
hwæþer him alwalda | æfre wille
æfter weaspelle | wyrpe gefremman.
Gang ða æfter flore | fyrdwyrðe man
mid his handscale | (healwudu dynede),
þæt he þone wisan | wordum nægde
frean Ingwina, | frægn gif him wære
æfter neodlaðum | niht getæse.

sources

Text is based on reconstruction from the base text and variant apparatus and may contain alternative spellings and other normalisations not visible in the manuscript text. Transcriptions may not have been checked and should not be cited.

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